Packers: Are Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon the best running back duo in the NFL?
![Green Bay Packers v Cincinnati Bengals Green Bay Packers v Cincinnati Bengals](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_7339,h_4128,x_0,y_49/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/GettyImages/mmsport/51/01h39pt64xr7w3rjvbs2.jpg)
Do the Green Bay Packers have the best running back duo in the NFL?
All signs point to yes, if going off a recent ranking appearing on Bleacher Report: Alex Ballentine ranked the top duos in the NFL, with the combo of Jones and Dillon appearing on the top of what can only be described as a contentious list.
Ballentine writes: "As the Packers look to transition their offense away from Rodgers it's going to be even more important that they can lean on their two backs."
Green Bay utilizing Jones and Dillon early and often is going to pay dividends for their offensive effectiveness in addition to taking some pressure off of Jordan Love.
Heavy back usage will lend itself well to what should be an increased rate of play-action this season, an area that must be embraced. A higher rate of play-action on early downs should lead to bigger plays and more explosive offense overall.
Finding ways to be explosive while not putting the entire offensive workload on the shoulders of an inexperienced quarterback should be priority number one for Matt LaFleur.
Packers collective talent between Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon catapults them to No. 1
The one advantage in favor of the Jones-Dillon outfit is that the talent gap between the starter and complementary back is the smallest of those appearing on the list. While there a few duos on the list that feature a better starter (Nick Chubb, Christian McCaffrey), the secondary back they are paired with does not compare to Green Bay's combo.
There is one team that has similar limited gap in talent between their running back duo appearing on the list, New Orleans at number five. Alvin Kamara and Jamaal Williams are an impressive combination for the Saints, but they are a few ticks below what the Packers have in Jones and Dillon.
Will the perception of Green Bay's running back duo remain the same at season's end?
Only time will tell, but considering their usage is the most logical path towards winning, it certainly appears that they should be able to put up similar, if not better numbers this season as the offensive shift in the post-Aaron Rodgers era should benefit them greatly.
More Packers news and analysis
manual